CVE-2023-35306 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2023
Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2026
This vulnerability resides in Microsoft's PostScript and PCL6 class printer drivers where improper handling of certain print job parameters leads to information disclosure through memory corruption or data leakage mechanisms. The flaw allows remote attackers to potentially extract sensitive data from printer memory structures during print processing operations. When a malicious print job is submitted containing specially crafted parameters, the driver fails to properly validate input data which can result in unintended data exposure. This vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and improper error handling within printer driver components that process external data streams.
The technical implementation involves buffer manipulation and memory access patterns where the printer drivers do not adequately sanitize print job data before processing. Attackers can construct malicious print jobs that trigger memory access violations or cause information leakage through improper pointer handling during PostScript or PCL6 command interpretation. The vulnerability manifests when the driver processes malformed print commands that exceed expected parameter boundaries or contain unexpected data structures. This creates opportunities for attackers to potentially read adjacent memory regions containing sensitive information such as authentication tokens, system credentials, or other confidential data stored in printer memory buffers.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation and lateral movement within network environments. Organizations relying on networked printers with these vulnerable drivers face potential exposure of confidential documents, user credentials, and system information that could be accessed through carefully crafted print jobs. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where centralized printing systems process thousands of documents daily, creating multiple potential attack vectors for malicious actors. Additionally, the vulnerability can be exploited in conjunction with other printer-related flaws to create more significant security breaches.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security updates and patches that address the specific input validation issues within the printer drivers. Organizations must also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit unauthorized print job submissions to critical printer systems. Printer driver configuration settings should be reviewed to disable unnecessary features and reduce attack surface exposure. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual print job patterns or malformed data submissions that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) and CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) categories, and can be mapped to ATT&CK techniques including T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1070 (Indicator Removal on Host). Regular security assessments of printer infrastructure and network monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts.